The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-20
EvICTIoNs IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Pinkerton Mon Throw the Sick and Helpless
Into the Street-ChiIdren Without Food.

Hfnkertou Men Throw the Sick and Helpless
Into the Street--ChiIdren Without Food.
Wikesbarre Special.
The men employed in the mines operated by
j. s. Wentz & Co.. at Halle brook have been on
strike for several weeks The trouble has led
TO condition of things that hardly be be-
lleved to exist in free country. For many
months the company has been making desperate
efforts to break up the district assembly of the
knights OF Labor. Any man suspected of be-
longing TO the organization was discharged on
the slightest provocation and his place filled
with a Polander Slav, too ignorant to do any
thing but work and take his wages.
Three of the old miners were discharged sew
eral days ago and told to get out of their houses
and off the company's land in ten days. The
other men took up their cause and asked that
they be reinstated The only attention paid to
their demand was the discharge of another man
named Steele, an engineer and prominent
member of the Knights of Labor. The miners
struck. This April 10, and the works
have been practically idle since. The men offered
to arbltrate, but the company ignored their
offers. They hired Slavs, who took out the coal
which the strikers had cut down and put il
through the breakers. The company actually
charged the strikers for the time of these la
borers
To understand the situation it must be remem-
bered that the company own everything in the
neighborhood. Every foot of ground Is theirs
They will not lease sell foot of it. They
built miserable novels, and, calling them houses
compelled all men working for them to take
of these shantes at a rent of So or So month.
They required them to sign cut-throat lease
pr0fec-
ton and benefit he light possibly claim under
the law. He had to agree that the month he
ceased to work for the company he would vacate
the house, and was forced to sign what is termed
IAN AMIGA BILE suit in ejectment.' which gives the
company the power to eject him and throw out
all his furniture on ten days notice.
Immediately after the strike every man en-
ployed in the mines received notice to get out,
Some attempted to do 80, but the company
fused to allow a horse or wagon to come on their
land to move any of the furniture The work Of
aSo Sa@x.~ Nd l1z%
About P. N. Deputy Sheriff Brockway. armed
with writs OF ejectment. and accompanied by
gang of coal and iron police (Pinkerton men,
appeared in the village. and. proceeding to the
houses occupied by Daniel Wehan, Patrick
Bowen. Neal Gallagher, Joseph McMonigal, Bar
ney Gallagher and Patrick Dunlavy. entered the
buildings, and. driving out the inmates, threw
out every bit of furniture and every article
possessed by the inmates. and closing the houses
nailed them up. The conster nation in the viii
Iase was great but no one dared attempt to assist
the elected families. Notice had been served that
any who sheltered or assisted the Alected fami-
lies would be themselves Immediately thrown out
of their homes.
Mrs Dunlavey was sick in bed but the officers
paid no attention to this. She forced to get
up aud go. The bed was thrown out. and it was
with difficulty permission could be got for her to
stsy over night in a wagon shed belonging to the
company. The six elected families were left
shelteress on the mount ain side. with only few
goods around them. Not stick of furniture
could be moved, for no wagons were allowed
the company's ground No one living the
company's land dared offer them shelter
sistance, and men. women and children nuddled
together as best they might to pass the night in
the open air. Next day some walked the
homes of friends at distance. but many had no.
where TO go, and renamed on the ground until
yesterday without shelter fooi, except such
as was secretly given them by their neghbors-
The facts only became known yesterd ay, when
the most intense Indignation was aroused among
the workingmen in the lower end of this county.
The knights of Labor took the matter up and
hired lawyers, VINO came to this city to-day and
entered legal proceedings against the company
TO test the legality of their cut-throat leases.
The action of the company is without paral-
lei in the anthracite coal fields. The tyranny
has been appalling. They have established
company stores, and compel the men trade
exclusively there. Not store of any kind is al
lowed on their lands, and not travelling mer-
chaut peddler is permitted on their ground.
At the store the men are charged with their pur
chases and the bills stopped out of their earn
ingS. What with rent. store bills and mine sup
plies the men find all their wages gone. and many
of them have not cent OF wages in money
for months, and even years. The store sells salt
pork and dried meats, and no butcher is allowed
to come on their ground with fresh meat. The
men must be satisfied with salt meat. The store
sells condensed milk, and not a mkman dare
come near the village. The men must do with
out fresh milk. In spite of the action of the
Knights of Labor and the indignation which has
been aroused the company are making prepare
tions for further ejectments. and the men are